This invention relates to a process of thermally gasifying hydrocarbons with oxygen and water vapor as gasifying agents under a pressure of at least 3, preferably at least 20 to above 100 kilograms per square centimeter, and at temperatures in the range of about 1000.degree.-1500.degree. C., in a reactor provided with supply conduits for the hydrocarbons, the gasifying agents, and an inert purging gas, particularly nitrogen, which supply conduits are adapted to be opened and closed by valves, and with means for cooling and scrubbing the product gas, which mainly contains carbon monoxide and nitrogen.
Gasification processes of this kind are carried out in most cases to gasify fuel oil by a partial oxidation and are known, e.g., from the Opened German Applications Nos. 1,667,628 and 2,117,236. Because the plants for carrying out these processes operate under rather extreme temperature and pressure conditions, trouble may often arise. For instance, there may be sudden leaks, clogged filters in the hydrocarbon conduit, electric power failures, failures in preceding equipment or human errors in the control of the plant.
Most troubles require shutdown of the plant to such an extent that the degasifying operation is interrupted. The shut-down and restarting of the plant require a sensitive and exact matching and control of various variables which can be performed only by highly skilled operators. After an only short interruption of the gasifying normal operation, the plant can be rapidly restarted only when the temperature in the gasification reactor has not dropped below about 900.degree. C. during the shut-down period. This can be ensured by a quick correction of the defect and by a quick and correct control of the plant. Additional measures may be adopted to maintain the reactor at the desired temperature when normal operation has been interrupted. The optimum control of a gasifying plant, particularly when it is not in normal operation, requires operators that have been trained at high expense, but even such operators do not ensure a fault-free control.